The Immortals
by a spark of insanity
Summary: Because Naruto knew fear well, and he always embraced it. Collection of one shots.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Nope, Nada, Zilch**

Cannon-ish, kind of in AU territory, a bit OCC I think war makes people somber.

The Immortals: 

Naruto didn't like hospitals, and always would mentally cringe when the word was mentioned. Over the years he built a tolerance for dull colored walls and the smell of antiseptic.

He shuddered, _ugh,_ heebie jeebies.

And though being in the hospital was commonplace for shinobi, Naruto was an atypical case. Some of his earliest memories were of stark white sheets, bandages, blinding lights, and the smell of his own blood. The healing touch of the medic nin would cause him to flinch and black out into a panic attack and he would scream—_No_. He shook his head and pushed those grim thoughts back to the furthest recesses of his mind. Naruto was supposed to be happy, is happy, but happiness for him is always fleeting.

The halls of Konoha's newly constructed hospital are quiet as he trudged through them; Naruto was tired, beyond tired—bone weary. Physically he was fine, perfect health, mentally though, he was staggering. After a three month mission, he wanted to sleep for a month and a day, but as he took in the sign that read maternity ward, he felt a new kind of adrenaline and quickened his pace.

Naruto's eyes widened as he walked towards the glass and lifted a trembling hand to its cool surface.

_Namikaze…._

Despite being a walking slogan for optimism, neon colors and all, yelling his motto from the Hokage monument. _"Believe it!" _He didn't quite believe. Even though he was seeing—barely, his eyes were blurring with tears.

Seeing was believing, right?

They were here, _finally_ and their hair was red. _Ka-san…._

Naruto was grinning, that lunatic grin of his, and he began to laugh. Which soon turned into sobs of joy, and he was probably scaring passerby's, but he didn't care. All was right in the world, because they—_his_ son and daughter—were finally here after nine months. Overwhelmed by emotion, he ran a hand through shaggy blond hair, blinking away tears to take them in amongst the other sleeping infants. Cocooned in their blankets, their bassinets side by side, Naruto felt his disbelief giving into awe. Naruto never thought… he never _assumed. Kami, I have a family now. _Tears fell anew.

Briefly, a warm hand touched his on the window, Naruto jumped, startled. A quiet laugh met his ears, and his wide eyes took _her _in. She smiled beatifically and through his raging emotions he blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"You went into labor early!" He said incredulously.

"They were impatient just like their Tou-san," She said calmly, and Naruto felt another wave of awe settle over him at the word. She came to stand beside him and took in his tattered jounin vest and haggard appearance—a cursory check over to make sure he was fine. _Always worried for the wellbeing of others._ She then peered into the window to see _their _babies, with an expression that Naruto could only call contentment settling over her porcelain features.

"The labor lasted for f-fourteen hours," Hinata, began quietly, Naruto was a mess of emotion and knew he couldn't be counted on to ask the right questions. "Our daughter was first; weighing 6.4 pounds, then three minutes later our son, weighing 6.9 pounds. They were both quiet, wailing only for a moment, but I cried for the whole experience. Our daughter has a b-birthmark on the back of her left calf that looks likes the leaf insignia on our hitai-ate; a shinobi born and bred…" She laughed, which gave way into coughs.

"You're voice!"Naruto blurted out again, his head was still spinning, but at least he managed to sound concerned.

Hinata waved him off, "Oh I have a c-cold, my throat is sore and my chakra is low so I can't heal myself—see?" She held up her hand and a barely there green spark emanated from it, "Thankfully it isn't contagious, but whatever Sakura gave me to drink isn't working fast enough-" She squeaked out, when the wind was all but knocked out of her.

Naruto had tackled her, crushing her to his chest, his touch desperate. He was intense and probably frightening her, but he couldn't help it. When one had been met with scorn the majority of his life and finally had the acceptance of receiving of affection, it was a godsend, a lifesaver. But to initiate affection, with walls mighty in their great height and miles long in their width surrounding and protecting his heart, was a breakthrough. Hinata's stiffened form relaxed and she slowly raised her arms to embrace his neck, and like always _she _got it, she always would. _So accepting…. _

"Thank you," He rasped into her ear, "thank you so much. I'm so, _so_ happy. I'm can't find the words, but you've given me the world and you are awesome, so awesome and, and-"

"I know, Naruto-k-kun, I know," She stuttered out thickly.

Naruto loosened his arms, but didn't let her go, "I'm sorry I wasn't here for the birth, the mission took an unexpected turn."

"It's okay, you've just been securing us for the next year, and b-besides the labor came as much as a surprise as the pregnancy."

Hinata was right, it was a whirlwind; the whole situation caught them underhanded. In the midst of war, where death surrounded them, on its coattails rode in grief, whose presence consumed them all. Naruto needed comfort and familiarity after witnessing the deaths of friends and allies alike. And so to the one who claimed to love him, he had reach out and she had accepted without hesitation. Hinata had been convenient, and Naruto was able to feel a touch of his humanity again. But what was supposed to be a onetime encounter, turned into multiple. Eight months later in post war, surprise, surprise. He had been shocked, Hinata had been in hysterics—her father had disowned her for not terminating the pregnancy, despite Naruto being a war hero, _the war hero. _Quickly though as if tackling a new jutsu, Naruto rushed in like the fool he was, with all his usual enthusiasm. And with Naruto's infamous words of support Hinata jumped onto the bandwagon, expecting the journey to be difficult.

"Do you want to hold them?" She asked quietly.

"Yah …O-okay." Naruto's arms tightened around her once more, before dropping limply to his sides. Hinata took his hand and led him inside.

At nineteen Naruto is a father, and while it may seem young to some, amongst shinobi it was typical. Ninja lived fast and died young. He hadn't been a child since he earned his hitai-ate, nor an innocent since he first drew blood. But as he's being instructed on how to hold his son properly, and adjust his arms to support the babe's head, Naruto realized he had another reason to live. His son yawned and blinked owlishly up at him with Hinata's eyes and his eye color. Yes he definitely has a reason to live longer and survive.

"They're beautiful," Naruto murmured and turned his attention to Hinata and their daughter. Hinata was singing a lullaby under her breath, her eyes were closed and her expression serene. Motherhood becomes her.

"Have you thought of any names?" Naruto asked, fascinated by his son's iron grip on his finger.

"Yes, maybe after your father for him?"

"No," Naruto responded automatically, "I want him, both of them to have their own identities." Having to fill someone else's shadow and not be one's own person was too much to ask, particularly if that shadow was the fourth Hokage's.

Hinata nodded and smiled, "Okay we'll figure it out."

For a moment he watched her, transfixed. Hinata cuddled their daughter close, and dropped a kiss to her brow. It's like she already had it figured out, but really with a clan as large as hers, of course she would. There've been examples for her to follow, hands on experience. Him on the other, well that was that a conundrum that had finally revealed itself. Hell until two years ago he hadn't even known he had parents, that were pretty much Konoha royalty. Naruto studied his son, and held him close, burrowing his nose in the downy red hair that graced his head. And he wondered can he _really_ do this—parenting, _fatherhood! _

"Hinata?"

"Hai," She replied absently, their daughter was fussing and Hinata had begun shifting her to and fro to quieten her.

"…I'm afraid," Naruto nearly whispered, and Hinata seemed to already know his greatest fear.

"As am I, but Naruto we have the chance your p-parents and my mother never had, that my father took for g-granted." And suddenly her gentle tone and expression become fierce, "I'm along for the ride, _are you?_"

Naruto stared at her, and then shook his head in the positive, "Yah, every step of the way."

"Good," she softened and said those fated words. "I love you, remember that."

Naruto paused, and felt his heart clench. He respected Hinata, after fourteen hours of labor to bring him the greatest gifts of his life, it just increased tenfold. Hinata was awesome—_fucking awesome_; she was the mother of his children. Naruto was very fond of her and felt affection he supposed, that came from friendship and constant championship.

Did Naruto love Hinata?

...No, he didn't know what love was.

Sure in those brief encounters with his parents' ghost, he felt a blinding warmth that had always been absent in his life. But those were just moments, pinnacle moments, but moments nonetheless that barely reflected a major bond, that all his other relationships were supposed to be based off of. And though he made companions everywhere he went, Naruto's trust was fragile, no matter how willingly he gave it. His walls of defense were impenetrable, and openings appeared to those who fortified his trust and to those who broke it, found themselves facing a fortress covered by a façade of grins and stupidity. But this defense wouldn't work anymore; he had a family now, both a vulnerability and now his greatest strength.

"I know."

And Hinata nodded in acceptance, she understood his shortcomings, and all of a sudden he felt inadequate. She was constantly meeting him half way and beyond, she had destroyed so many of his walls, and is within reaching distance of his heart. And while that would usually scare him, he felt strangely happy, maybe this is what love is.

Naruto reached out, callused skin to her smooth, and kissed her.

The words wouldn't form, but his actions always spoke louder. It would take patience to undo a lifetime of distrust, but for his twins and Hinata, he knew he could do it. For them he would.

_Believe it!_

* * *

The Immortals:

_The Will of Fire continues for_

_generations, _

_and thus making us_

_immortal._


	2. Teamwork

**An:** Found this floating around on my shitty laptop, I've been meaning to continue this, but I have commitment issues so a story is out of the question, but oneshots not so much. Grammar may not be up to par, so I warn you now I will come back and fix it, make it all purty and new.

_Uzumaki-Namikaze Chinatsu- A thousand summers_

_Uzumaki-Namikaze Ryuusei- Falling stars or meteors_

_Both are between 3 to 5 months ._

_(Yep hyphens because everyone loves hyphens)_

* * *

**Teamwork:**

"All right we've got less than an hour to get ready and if we're late Sakura-chan will kill me, and no one wants to die, right?" Naruto, like the patented idiot he is, was wearing his determined face, woe to all.

"Noooo! Hina-hime, Chi-chan, Ryuu-chan need me! Who will teach the twins about the greatest of ramen!?"

"How will they remember me!? It'll be death by fist, and they'll think their old man was a wimp, and how would Hinata live with the shame as a widow!?"

"B-but Sakura-chan wouldn't kill me, would she? I mean, would she be able to look at the twins' cute faces and not feel guilty!?"

Naruto grinned widely as the clones worked themselves into a tizzy, he counted to ten then quickly reassured them. "Pull yourselves together men; we can't go into this half assed. Everyone know what they're supposed to do?"

"Yah Boss!" "We'll make it!" "Believe it!" Came the enthusiastic replies.

"Remember this is Hinata's day off, she's still sleeping, so shut up!"

"Right Boss!" "Sorry." "Gomen!" Came the stage whispers and Naruto sweatdropped, but recovered quickly, the flash of determination in his blue eyes returning, _"Let's do this!"_

Kage Bunshin had to be the greatest jutsu ever created…at least where Naruto was concerned. In the years since he mastered the forbidden technique, he'd created innovative ways of using shadow clones—most of them devastating. In his journey into fatherhood having multiple copies of himself had only proven the jutsu's awesomeness, because only Naruto could turn a deadly jutsu into a poster tool for parenthood.

"Gah! I hate changing diapers!"

The Uzumaki-Namikaze twins had proven to be Naruto's greatest challenge, a challenge he tackled with his usual zeal. Trial and error, along with the dozens of books and scrolls—yes Naruto read—Hinata had stocked up on during and after pregnancy became much easier with the clones carrying out tasks, and dispelling information. There had been the occasional dizzy spells, headaches and that incident where he passed out from memory overload, but it was worth it.

Recently in the last year Naruto had taken up fūinjutsu, an obscure art that had proven to hold his attention longer than any academy textbook ever did. Simple designs, with simple schematics for everyday things were the seals he used, but the more complex ones he'd created and was working on…well that was more interesting to say in the least, and another story for another day. For now his seals were utilized for practical use, because he'd be damned if he carried a diaper bag.

"Boss we've sealed away extra cloths, the camera, baby wipes, milk, diapers…" The clone listed while Naruto dressed a squirming Chinatsu, Ryuusei was dressed and asleep as his wont.

There had been a note that had been left for Naruto to find in the morning on the twins' dresser warning him that orange clashed horribly with red hair, and if he clothed her babies in that bright atrocity she would find all his ramen supply via bygakugan and and katon them to hell. The message had been much more polite, but he had gotten the gist of it and a shudder had run down his spine at the subtle threats in it; even sweet and gentle Hinata could be scary. A side note conceded that small ounces of orange could be worn by the twins because being a parent included compromise and that she loved him to much not too.

"What else do we need?" The clone questioned.

"Everything's been sealed away?" At the affirmative nod Naruto added, "Then more diapers." If he had learned anything it was that infants and messes were a guarantee and extra was good, helping to keep away the paranoia of thinking he was forgetting something important.

"BLEH! What the hell kind of milk is this? It taste like ass!" Another clone cried from the kitchen.

"It's breast milk you idiot!" The original retorted, and then added on second thought, "and how the hell would you know what ass taste like?"

"I'm you, moron! Stop insulting yourself." Came the smart reply.

Naruto sputtered indignantly, "Yah well no one asked you, and put that in the cooling seal with the rest of the bottles!"

A whimper interrupted any of the nonsensical exchange that would have continued, Naruto looked down at his daughter: pouting lower lip, whimpering, eyes beginning to tear—shit.

"Chi-chan is pissed," Naruto said grimly, "and about to let the whole village know, change of plans what time is it?"

"It's 10:30."

"Yah, it's just about feeding time, bring me two bottles, before she wakes up Ryuu-chan." Once one twin got going, the other was bound to follow, and it was hell to get them calmed down again.

He shuddered as he remembered the colic incident, never again.

"Roger that boss!"

After the feeding session, whilst Naruto made faces at them and Ryuusei blinked at his father owlishly, and Chinatsu ignored him completely, then passed out after she burped. Naruto could feel the love.

Naruto checked through his weapons pouch making sure all the seals were in order, "It's 11:00, Thirty minutes till the twin's check-up so Sakura-chan can't kill me, there'll be no death by fist for me. Thanks guys, before you dispel help me get the twins in the carrier."

Once the kiddies were settled, one clone snickered as Naruto struck a nice guy pose, another flashed Hinata's camera, and the other gave a rude gesture as it poofed away.

The sight was kind of ridiculous.

When he first wore the baby carrier for two, he'd wondered if this was what it felt like to have boobs. And considering how large Hinata's are, his curiosity was founded.

Once the other clones disappeared, Naruto opened the front door to his home and took in the sight of the Hokage monument, and the simple tranquility of his neighborhood. He and Hinata resided in one of the few ninja neighborhoods rebuilt, to the east of the Hokage tower and far away from the Hyuuga compound. In post war, construction for the village was still in earnest progress, and Konoha was steadily returning to its former glory, but in the words of the Sandaime Hokage…er similar words as long as the will of fire burns so will Konohagakure.

"Now we're ready to take on the world kiddies, after your appointment , you guys are going to meet your godfather." Naruto's smile was foxy as he stared down at his son and daughter, one slept and the other reached out with one fist, mesmerized by his hair. He let Ryuu-chan grasp his finger instead, already knowing that kid's grip was herculean like, and the reason why Hinata chopped off all her hair and sported a pixie cut.

"Yes," Naruto babbled in a baby voice, as he took to the roofs, careful not to jostle the twins, "You get to meet your godfather, the Kazekage. So not only is your dad future Hokage awesome, so is Gaara, but not as great as me, believe it!"

Ryuusei grinned at his Otou-san, Naruto felt his chest tighten, yep they were so worth it.

* * *

**Go on, give me your best shot, I'll give back twice as hard.**


	3. Alone

**An:** Eh…. Here's another one, just had to make corrections. Last chapter had a more carefree Naruto this one picks up on the somber Naruto seen in the first oneshot. This might be a bit confusing, but these are some of his thoughts in the twins' early days.

**Disclaimer: **Broke college student.

* * *

Alone:

…_Rare moments of deep thoughts. _

_(5 days old)_

It wouldn't be the first time and certainly not the last time he watched them sleep. He stared at them wide-eyed, with a sort of dumbfounded awe.

The twins kept hours likened to shinobi watch shifts on missions, in thirty minutes or so Hinata would awaken and take her turn. She would gently chide him for being up, and not sleeping while he still had the chance, _because newborns didn't know the difference between night and day,_ but he didn't care.

Still shocked that he had helped create _two _lives, he reached out with a trembling hand and touched the downy hair of his daughter, then the smooth skin of a rosy cheek. She fidgeted and seemed to curl further into the warmth of her brother whom she lay beside in their crib. _Chinatsu, Ryussei._

Two days of name suggestions, from the ridiculous—courtesy of Naruto, Kakshi-sensei, and the like—to the outright rejected—_what the hell kind of is Shuichi for a future badass ninja!? _And they finally came to an agreement, Hinata liked Ryuu and Naruto's favorite season was summer, thus came about Natsu.

It was their first night home, Hinata's immune system was weak after giving birth to the twins, and they'd kept her for a few extra days of observation. Hinata's own mother—a frail, slight women—had died a few months after giving birth to her imouto Hanabi, and Sakura wanted to take precautions. As far as Naruto was concerned Hinata was made of tougher stuff, her mother hadn't been a shinobi, and his mother had died from entirely different circumstances after childbirth.

Naruto had always wanted a family, but he hadn't given it much thought. What with the dream of becoming Hokage, proving himself worthy of acknowledgment, a mad man wanting to kill him and put the shinobi world under a permanent genjutsu, and… oh the war that ended not so long ago. Having a family just fell on the back burner, and then his relationship with Hinata at the time when she found out she was pregnant wasn't ideal, more about physical gratification on his part as Naruto searched for his humanity. It was about living in the moment as if death was a hair's breath away, which it was and one of the first times he chose to ignore the rush of emotions from someone else. He had realized things would need to change and sought to heal their relationship.

Because it wasn't fair that Hinata's love was unwavering, and he wasn't giving back as much as he could. Even now he felt inadequate in the face of her affection—_"Love will grow N-Naruto-kun, the fact that you're here and you care is enough."—_He was beginning to understand this thing that was like a monster in his chest, warm and all consuming.

On that note, since the twins birth his chest had been constricting, seizing his breath causing his heart to hurt.

Naruto didn't get _sick, _hurt yah, chakra exhausted… not anymore, he and Kurama now saw eye to eye, so it was worrying.

While Hianta was confined in the hospital, he'd pulled aside a medic to find out what was wrong with him, the medic only too happy to help the Hokage-in-training examined him, and then looked at him blankly. Panicked Naruto asked what hell was wrong and the medic's blank stare became an indulgent one, because it was widely known that Naruto was a newly made father—he had practically shouted it from the rooftops…um Hokage monument. The response had been simple:

"What you're feeling is a physical manifestation of your emotions. Most new parents feel anxiety at the prospect of raising a new life, fear is normal Naruto-sama."

"Naruto," He corrected more out habit than annoyance, "Thank you Tadeshi-san."

The medic had seemed amazed that Naruto knew his name, but Naruto made a point of learning everyone's name he would eventually work with as leader. Tadeshi-san may have responded, but Naruto was in no shape to pay attention as he walked away. Face scrunched up in thought, he didn't understand the first half of the medic's answer, but the other half he understood well.

Naruto knew fear; it was both an ally and a foe, accompanying him as he trekked into the unknown, facing enemies much stronger than he, when the odds were stacked against him and the many times he had encountered death and lived to tell the tale.

Yes Naruto knew fear well, and he always embraced it.

But his greatest fear was loneliness. Despite the many bonds he had made, and unknowingly made, no matter how much he laughed and radiated a beacon of hope and optimism, loneliness would always be a crippling fear he shoved to the back of his mind to be forgotten. He had lived through the hell of loneliness, in the miles long shadow of his bijuu Kurama, of course eventually he had stepped into light, but there had been set backs that had tried to thrust him back into the darkness. Occasionally yes, he had given into the darkness, only to be pulled out by those who matter.

Naruto's fear of being alone had become much more complicated though, maybe even silly. He dreaded this life that was just unraveling with such a promising future that could disappear, and that Madara had won and they were under the intricate workings of project "tsuki no me."

Now as he sat in the twins' nursery, a bright room featuring Konoha's towering trees, great and almighty in their height, various forms of his summons, foxes as an inside joke, and other images courtesy of Sai. It was exactly what Naruto and Hinata had in mind and he had loudly proclaimed that Sai was a mind reader.

Sai, whose smile had become much more genuine in the years since meeting Naruto, had answered quite calmly, "Dickless, I'm an artist, not a mind reader."

Of course Naruto had sputtered indignantly, and Hinata had blushed to the tip of her toes.

_That asshole, _Naruto mused.

"Naruto?" a sleep laden voice called, bringing him from his thoughts.

He turned and smiled brightly at Hinata standing in the doorway, and saw her give a gentle one back, he knew his fear of solitude was stupid. And as he gathered her in his arms, ignoring her gasp of surprise he knew he would never be alone again.

* * *

**yah...**


End file.
